Could an Oral Appliance Stop Your Sleep Apnea Symptoms?

One of the two types of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which is a condition that causes certain muscles responsible for air canals remaining open to relax and close them off.

When muscles around the throat and tongue relax, air cannot get to the lungs, which can cause a host of problems if not corrected. Two of the most efficient ways of correcting obstructive sleep apnea is by the use of oral appliances and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)

This is one of the most effective treatments for this sort of sleep apnea. This machine regularly blows air into your throat at a constant pressure to keep the pathways clear and also ensure the air reaches your lungs. This machine is made up of three parts: the mask over your nose and mouth for air delivery, a motor to blow in the air and finally a huge tube called a cannula that joins the mask and the motor. These machines are small, fairly quiet and lightweight, making them easy to carry wherever you are going.

Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD)

This is one of the most widely used mouth devices to manage sleep apnea. These devices often look like mouth guards used in sports, but have some special features that make them effective against the signs of sleep apnea. This particular device snaps over the upper and lower dental arches plus have metal hinges that help the lower jaws to ease forward creating space at the back of the throat. That helps you breathe normally and even take care of the snoring problem at the same time.

Tongue Retaining Device

Although this device isn't as popular, it is effective. It's basically a splint that handles the tongue as we sleep thus keeping the airway open. Although it's not the most comfortable, it's been known to help people with more severe cases of sleep apnea stay out of trouble.

For people who have been diagnosed with mild to medium sleep apnea, oral appliances are usually more attractive than the CPAP devices. What's more, people are more likely to use them every day as they don't prevent the user from sleeping in a particular position unlike the CPAP. If you have any questions, please reach out to us. We; be glad to help.

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